Important Updates

About Us

Welcome to The Learning Bridge After school program. Our goal is to provide a safe and fun environment for your child. We are now accepting registrations for the 2017-2018 school year. You may access the registration forms by clicking on the registration tab. Please completely fill out the forms. We look forward to getting to know your child!

We operate at all 19 elementary schools in Paulding County. We offer a wide range of activities arts and crafts, homework assistance, science projects, table games, STEM projects, individual and team play on the playground and in the gym, dramatic play and social opportunities all on the school site.

Tuition

Full Time (4-5 days) - $35 per child

Part Time (1-3 days) - $21 per child

Registration Fee: $20/child or $40/family

No drop-in or short term services available.

Registration

We operate the after school program at all 19 Paulding County Elementary Schools. Our goal is to provide a fun, safe, educational environment for all children who need consistent care in the afternoons.

Every child must have a completely filled out enrollment form on-site before starting. Please read our parent handbook below.

Registration Forms

Parent Handbook

The information in this handbook will help you understand the policies practiced during the day-to-day operations of this after-school program. Learning Bridge is located on-site in select Forsyth County elementary schools.

The Learning Bridge accepts all children into the program regardless of national origin, race, creed, ability, or physical handicaps.

At Learning Bridge we understand the importance of having a safe, fun way to connect with friends, enjoy a variety of activities including a structured homework time, extra learning activities, organized physical activities and expressions in art.

Staff

All of our sites are state licensed and monitored by state consultants. An experienced site director is designated at each school and all of our employees are required to have a clear background check. All staff is required to have 10 hours state-certified training every year. C.P.R. and First Aid certification is also required.

Operating Schedule

The Learning Bridge will follow the Paulding County School System calendar. The Learning Bridge will only be open when school is in session. Please refer to the school calendar for days that Learning Bridge will not be operating.

Services provided:

176 regular days of Student Calendar (dismissal to 6:00 p.m.)

(Including Early Release Days)

Late fees of one dollar ($1) per minute per child will be charged after 6:00 PM by the official school clock. At 6:00 PM, the Site Director will first call both parents/guardians listed. He or she will continue to call all adults authorized to pick up the child until someone is reached who can immediately pick up the child. The child will be released to the first adult who arrives at the school. Paulding County requires that we vacate the school building by 6:00 PM. Unless an acceptable arrangement has been made with the Site Director. Please have a local friend or relative on your list who can help you in emergency situations. Excessive late pick-ups may result in dismissal.

Tuition Policies

Parents must designate the Full Time or Part Time program. In order to appropriately staff, these days cannot be changed on a day-to-day or a weekly basis.

If a change in your work schedule occurs and the program times need to change, please contact the Director as soon as possible or no later than the Friday before the schedule changes.

Important Tuition Notices

Checks should be made out to “Learning Bridge ASP.” Write your child’s first and last name on every check.

No payments can be made through a child or during regular school hours. Payments can be made directly to Learning Bridge staff in the afternoons. If you choose to pay with cash, you will be required to sign a cash receipt at the time of payment.

All debit and credit card payments can be made at the school.

Tuition should be paid biweekly no later than the Friday prior to attendance. After two weeks of non-payment or non-attendance, your child will be withdrawn from the program, and your spot will be given to a child on the waiting list (if applicable). If your withdrawal isn’t approved by administration, the current registration fee will be charged to re-enroll your child.

A late fee of $1.00 will be charged for every minute after 6:00 your child remains onsite. This will be charged according to the school clock. Late fees should be paid in full to the staff present and not added to the tuition check at a later date.

Two returned checks will require all future payments to be made in cash, by money order or online.

Learning Bridge will email Statements monthly as a courtesy; however, payment is due prior to using the program even if you fail to receive notice.

Delinquent checks need to be corrected within 24 hours of notification and a returned check fee of $25 will be charged.

There will be no credit issued for one day school holidays.

Your weekly tuition amount will be the same regardless of absences or entire weeks missed unless approved by the Administrator. (Includes suspensions for non-payment, behavior and excessive late pickups).

Enrollment

All students must be enrolled in one of the elementary school sites that the Learning Bridge services. The Learning Bridge accepts students from Kindergarten to 5th grade (ages 5-12).

All parents must fill out a complete enrollment packet for each child annually. The parent is responsible for updating packet information during the school year if needed. No child will be allowed to enter or leave the premises without being escorted by an authorized adult. It is the policy of the Learning Bridge to refuse any person to pick up your child if we suspect that person is driving impaired, or we will contact the Sheriff’s Department. If your child is participating in an extra-curricular activity at the school (Beach Club, chorus, tutoring, etc.), the parent will fill out a permission form or amend the authorized pick up list allowing the activity leader to sign your child out and back into the Learning Bridge Program (They will have a Learning Bridge snack before they leave). Learning Bridge employees will take attendance on a daily basis. Parents or authorized persons will sign the child out every day providing time of pick-up and initials. Any person picking up a child who is unfamiliar to Learning Bridge staff will be required to show a valid picture I.D. If your child is on restricted pickup involving custody issues you must provide the program with legal documentation.

Withdrawal Notice

A written notice of withdrawal must be emailed, faxed or mailed to Learning Bridge two weeks prior to withdrawing to avoid any additional fees. Please indicate your reason for withdrawal on this notice. Students will be withdrawn automatically after two weeks of non-payment. Parents will be responsible for the two weeks of tuition if advance notice is not given.

Child Abuse Policy

Learning Bridge employees, who have cause or reason to believe that a child is being abused, deprived or neglected, shall report immediately to the Director. The Director will investigate and take the appropriate action in accordance with Georgia law.

Allergies

If your child has severe food allergies, please alert the staff prior to sending your child to the after school program. Learning Bridge will make every reasonable effort to provide an alternative snack and remove your child from any contact with the food.

Medication and Medical Policies

The Learning Bridge staff will not dispense any medication; however, please inform the staff of any medical situation that may require the use of emergency medication such as an Epi-pen, inhalant or insulin. Please contact Director for forms and policies.

The Learning Bridge does not offer transportation. If a medical emergency requires transportation, emergency medical services will be notified and the student and an employee of The Learning Bridge will be transported to Wellstar/ Paulding. All attempts will be made to notify parents and the Director. No Learning Bridge employee will deter a child from receiving emergency medical care. In non-emergency situations, basic first aid will be given and an accident report will be filled out by staff. A child will not be accepted or allowed to remain at the Learning Bridge program if he/she has a fever of 101 degrees or higher or other contagious symptoms such as rash, diarrhea, vomiting, sore throat, etc. A parent will be notified to pick up child immediately. Child must be symptom free for 24 hours before returning to the program. The Learning Bridge reserves the right to request a doctor’s note stating the child can return. If anyone on site is found to have a contagious communicable disease parents will receive written notice.

Safety

It is the mission of the Learning Bridge to provide your child with a fun and safe after school environment. In doing so, each school will follow the policies set forth by the Paulding County School System for lockdown, bomb threats, and other emergency situations. The Learning Bridge staff will conduct monthly fire drills, twice yearly severe weather drills and at least one lock down drill to ensure the safety of your child. In the event of severe weather, we will operate according to Paulding County School safety policies. Each school has a set of guidelines for emergency situations posted in our after school area. Please review these rules. To protect the health of all students, Learning Bridge reserves the right to dismiss students who have excessive bathroom accidents or who willfully expose other children to their bodily fluids.

If school closes before the Learning Bridge begins, you must have alternative pick-up arrangements on file with your child’s school. If we need to close after our program has begun, for example due to hazardous road conditions, you will be contacted and asked to pick up your child as soon as possible. Please add several friends/neighbors to your emergency contact list for inclement weather or other emergencies, which could prohibit you from being available in a timely manner. In the event of severe weather, Learning Bridge staff will be focused on the safety of the children and may not be available to accept parent phone calls.

Regularly Scheduled Activities

Snack – Please let the staff know if your child has any medical problems requiring a special snack.

Consistent homework program–Academic activities such as math/spelling/reading/strategic games will be available for those children without homework. It is the parent’s responsibility to check homework and to complete items needing individual assistance such as quizzing spelling words, fluencies, and/or projects.

Outdoor recreational and gym activities–free play and teacher directed

Individual/Small group activities

Students will also participate in:

STEM

Art and Crafts

Science Explorations

Computer

Early Release Day Activites

In-house field trips

Special crafts

No off site field trips will be planned so no transportation permission slips will be required.

Discipline Policies

The Learning Bridge will uphold the policies set forth by the Paulding County School System Code of Conduct and Discipline Procedures. Disciplinary procedures are designed to maintain a safe and secure environment for all children. Any of the following disciplinary actions may be imposed for any violation of the PCSS Code of Conduct. Rules are enforced at the discretion of the Learning Bridge Program Administrator.

Explanation/reinforcement of rules/warning

Redirection/temporary removal from activity

Time out – older children may use this time to create an action plan

Loss of Privileges

Notification of Director

Notification of Parents

Parent Conference with Staff/ Director

Referral to school counselor

Short term suspension

Expulsion from Learning Bridge program

All parents/authorized adults will be also held to the Code of Conduct. A child may be dismissed from the program due to parental/adult misconduct.